Coupling between two structural elements and spatial structure with such couplings

ABSTRACT

A coupling is provided between two structural elements, each comprising at least one part having tensively strong gauze formed for instance of metal such as steel, which parts can be registered in interlaced relation and which can be mutually coupled in this interlaced and registered situation by an elongate coupling element. A very practical embodiment is that in which the one part has at least two hook-like or loop-like protrusions which can be placed through the other part, wherein the elongate coupling element can be placed through these protrusions to thus block rearward displacement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the coupling between two structural elements.

In order to build spatial constructions, in particular with reinforcedconcrete, use is made of a reinforcement consisting of mutually coupledelongate concrete reinforcing rods which are brought into the correctshape on site and subsequently enclosed in a shuttering with concrete inorder to be embedded therein.

Examples of spatial constructions include walls, buildings, and catchpits.

The invention generally proposes as its object to provide a couplingbetween two structural elements such that it can be prepared in advancein the factory and such that on site the coupling can be realized in themost simple and rapid manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this respect the invention generally provides a coupling between twostructural elements, each comprising at least one part having tensivelystrong gauze, formed for instance of metal such as steel, which partscan be registered in interlaced relation and which can be mutuallycoupled in this interlaced and registered situation by means of anelongate coupling element.

A very practical embodiment is that in which the one part has at leasttwo hook-like or loop-like protrusions which can be placed through theother part, wherein the elongate coupling element can be placed throughthese protrusions to thus block rearward displacement.

Attention is drawn to the fact that the elongate element can inprinciple have any suitable form, provided the requirement is met thatit is suitable for blocking rearward displacement. The use of more thanone elongate element is also possible.

A coupling is recommended in which the elongate element is straightParticularly in the case where a series of registered protrusions isapplied, a straight element can be arranged very quickly.

A specific embodiment is that in which each structural element iscomprised almost entirely of gauze.

Any suitable material can in principle be envisaged for the gauze. Thepossibility of concrete reinforcing rods is already mentioned above.Such reinforcing rods are very suitable for arrangement as reinforcementin concrete. For other applications use can also be made of steel. Usecan also be made of for instance glass fabric or fibre-reinforcedpolymers.

The invention further relates to a spatial structure comprising aplurality of structural elements mutually connected by means ofcouplings of the above specified type according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the annexeddrawings. Herein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a part of a spatial structure withgauze meshes connected by means of couplings according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows on enlarged scale the detail II according to FIG. 1 in topview;

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding with FIG. 2 of the detail III of FIG. 1in another embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention applied in a wall structure,shown in a broken away perspective view;

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding with FIG. 4 of a variant;

FIG. 6 shows a wall of modular construction consisting of modular unitsas according to FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a partly broken away perspective view of a noise-protectionwall constructed on the basis of the invention;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the gauze meshes from which a structuralpart of the noise-protection wall according to FIG. 7 is constructed;

FIG. 9 is a partly perspective view of a coupling between threestructural elements, wherein an intermediate element is coupled to twoother elements;

FIG. 10 is a view corresponding with FIG. 9 of a variant;

FIG. 11 is a partly perspective view of yet another embodiment

FIG. 12 is a partly perspective view of a subsequent alternative;

FIG. 13 is a partly perspective view of a final embodiment;

FIG. 14 shows a partly broken away perspective view of a house builtmaking use of couplings according to the invention; and

FIG. 15 shows a partly broken away perspective view of a catch pitconstructed on the basis of the coupling according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a spatial structure 1 with a plurality of gauze meshes 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Each gauze mesh comprises a plurality of horizontal rods and a pluralityof vertical rods which are ordered in grid form and are welded to eachother at the junctions.

As show in FIG. 2, the gauze mesh 5 has on its side facing toward gauzemesh 4 a series of hook-like protrusions located in register one aboveanother and all designated with 8. These protrusions are inserted intothe interspaces between the horizontal rods 9 and the last two verticalrods 10 of gauze mesh 4 as shown in FIG. 1. Through the hook-likeprotrusions 8 is then placed a pin 11 which blocks rearward displacementand thus mutually couples the gauze meshes 4 and 5.

The gauze meshes 2 and 3 are coupled in the same manner.

The coupling of gauze meshes 3 and 4 is effected by inserting a pin 12into the respective hook-like protrusions 13, 14 on the meshes 3, 4respectively.

FIG. 3 shows a variant of the coupling shown in FIG. 1 between the gauzemeshes 2, 6 and 7. The gauze mesh 6' shown in FIG. 3 has on its endshook-like protrusions 15, 16 which can co-act in the same manner ashooks 8 with a gauze mesh which can be placed in register therewith. Inthe manner shown in FIG. 3 pins 17, 18 are inserted for this purposeinto the row of hooks respectively 15, 16 placed one above another. Thegauze mesh 6 according to FIG. 1 differs from gauze mesh 6' of FIG. 3 inthe sense that the direction of the hooks 15 is reversed.

Attention is drawn to the fact that gauze meshes can also be providedwith protrusions extending on either side.

A comparatively small gauze mesh can also be placed with two or morelarger gauze meshes placed in overlapping manner or in adjacentrelationship in order thus to function as coupling gauze mesh. Use isthen also made here of an elongate coupling elements wherein in thiscase more than two structural elements are mutually connected.

FIG. 4 shows two coupled wall structures 101 according to the invention.Each wall structure comprises a foundation base 102 placed in the groundand a standing wall panel 103 connected thereto.

The foundation base 102 has a width in transverse direction of the wallpanel 103 which in this embodiment is roughly three times larger thanthe thickness of wall panel 103 in the zone adjoining foundation base102.

The wall structure takes a monolithic form. It comprises mutuallycoupled steel gauze meshes designated 104 which are joined with a curedconcrete mass 105. A plastic foil bag 106 is included inside the wallstructure 101. This effectively prevents undesired washing away ofmaterial present in the concrete mass 105. Furthermore, a shotcreteplaster layer 107 is applied. The wall panel 103 has a cavity 109.

FIG. 5 shows a wall structure 108. This comprises a base 110 and a wallpanel 111 formed integrally therewith. Wall structure 108 also comprisesmetal gauze meshes, which are all designated 112, and foil bags 113,114. The space between foil bags 113, 114 is filled with a concrete mass115 while an internal cavity 116 is filled with filler material 117 suchas waste. At variance with the embodiment of FIG. 4, the stability ofwall structure 108 is improved by making use of tie anchors 118, 119consisting of tensively strong elements 120, 121 respectively connectedto the base and anchor plates 122, 123 respectively anchored relativelydeeply in the ground. Wall panel 111 comprises a lower part 124 standingsubstantially vertically straight and an upper part 125 connectingthereto at an angle of about 5".

FIG. 6 shows the use of the wall structures 108 as noise-protectionwall. The upper parts 125 incline forward in the direction of thenoise-producing traffic 126, whereby an effective reduction is realizedin the sound emitted to the residential zone 127. Some wall structures108 are provided with windows 128.

FIG. 5 shows that the noise-protection wall shown in FIG. 6 is providedwith a sound-absorbing covering 129. This is coupled to the wallstructure by means of fixing anchors 130.

Attention is drawn to the fact that the wall structures according toFIGS. 5 and 6 display a certain fold. The couplings between the gauzepanels according to the invention are adapted to this shape. The jointsof gauze panels at the drawn angles as shown in particular in FIG. 5 canbe of the type shown in FIG. 1. The mutually registered hooks 14 aretherein coupled by means of the rod 12.

FIG. 7 shows a noise-protection wall 201 having noise protection wallparts 202. These are constructed on the basis of the coupling accordingto the invention. The reference numerals IX, X, XI, XII and XIII referrespectively to the FIGS. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. The noise-protectionwall 201 has by and large the same construction as that wall structure101 as according to FIG. 4. It contains a foundation base 203 and anup-right wall part 204. As shown in FIG. 8, the parts 202 areconstructed on the basis of a plurality of gauze meshes 205, 206, 207,208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215.

FIG. 9 shows the detail IX on enlarged scale. The gauze meshes 205 and206 are coupled and held at mutual distance by means of a spacer element216 which, as the gauze meshes 205-215, is made up of concretereinforcing rod material. It comprises a plurality of substantiallyhorizontally extending rods to which is welded a bracket 217 which has asubstantially W-shaped structure on both sides. In the manner shown inFIG. 4 the spacer elements 216 are coupled via the brackets 217 by meansof rods 219 inserted as according to arrows 218.

The structure of FIG. 10 has a function similar to the structure of FIG.9. In this embodiment the horizontal rods 220' are situated on theinside relative to the vertical rods 221', while the corresponding rods220 of FIG. 9 are situated on the outside relative to the vertical rods221

FIG. 11 shows the coupling between two adjoining gauze meshes, bothdesignated with 206. Use is made of a coupling element 222 whichcomprises a plurality of vertical rods 223 mutually connected bybrackets 224 ben generally in a W-shape. As shown clearly in FIG. 11,use is also made here of coupling rods 219 inserted as according toarrows 218.

FIG. 12 shows the coupling between gauze meshes 206 and 212. These gauzemeshes are coupled in the manner indicated in FIG. 12 by means of acoupling element 225 with horizontal rods 227 which are mutuallyconnected by a bracket 226 and which are connected by coupling rods 219via the W-shaped ends of the brackets 226.

FIG. 13 shows the coupling between the gauze meshes 215 and 205. Use isalso made here of a coupling element 230 consisting of horizontal rods228 with coupling brackets 229 The brackets 229 here also comprisegenerally W-shaped end zones which serve for coupling making use ofcoupling rods 219.

FIG. 14 shows a house 231 constructed predominantly on the basis ofstructural elements which are mutually coupled with application of thecoupling according to the invention. It will be apparent from this FIG.14 that the spatial structures which can be realized with the inventioncan be relatively complicated with use of essentially very simple means.

FIG. 15 shows a catch pit 232 consisting substantially of reinforcedconcrete. The reinforcement consists of eight gauze meshes 233 which arecombined into a regular polygonal prismatic shape and which are mutuallycoupled according to the invention. The obtained structure forms thereinforcement of concrete cast therearound which is finished with aplaster layer 234 similar to the plaster layer 234 with which thenoise-protection wall parts 202 of FIG. 7 are covered.

Pipes 235, 236, 237 connect onto the catch pit 232. This coupling can beeffected by interrupting the meshes 233 local or in advance andconnecting the pipes liquid-tight to the catch pit 232 in per se knownmanner.

I claim:
 1. A wall structure, comprising:a first spatial structure; asecond spatial structure spaced away from the first spatial structure,the first spatial structure and the second spatial structure defining aninternal space therebetween, the first spatial structure and the secondspatial structure each including:a plurality of gauze meshes, each ofthe gauze meshes having at least one integrally formed coupling part,wherein the coupling parts of each of the gauze meshes are registered ininterlaced relation in the interspaces of an adjacent gauze mesh, andthe coupling parts are mutually coupled in the interlaced and registeredsituation by an elongate coupling element; and a first plastic foil baglocated in the internal space and conforming to the gauze meshes of thefirst spatial structure and the second spatial structure to define anenclosed internal space in which a concrete filler mass is present, andthe concrete filler mass is restrained within the enclosed internalspace during curing by the first plastic foil bag and the gauze meshes.2. The wall structure according to claim 1, wherein a second plasticfoil bag is accommodated in the enclosed internal space bounded by thefirst plastic foil bag, the second foil bag being filled with fillermaterial.
 3. The wall structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein thefiller material is concrete.
 4. The wall structure as claimed in claim2, wherein the filler material is waste material.
 5. A wall structure,comprising:a) a first spatial structure; b) a second spatial structurespaced apart from the first spatial structure, the first spatialstructure and the second spatial structure defining an internal spacetherebetween, the first spatial structure and the second spatialstructure each including:a plurality of structural elements; at leastone coupling element, the structural elements each mutually coupled toan adjacent structural element with the at least one coupling element,the at least one coupling element registered in interlaced relationbetween the adjacent structural elements; and at least one elongateelement co-acting with the at least one coupling element such that theadjacent structural elements are mutually coupled together; c) at leastone spacer element connecting the first spatial structure to the secondspatial structure such that the first spatial structure and the secondspatial structure are held a fixed distance apart; and d) a first foilbag positioned in the internal space and conforming to the structuralelements of the first spatial structure and the second spatial structureto define an enclosed internal space in the wall structure, whereinconcrete is located in the enclosed internal space, and the concrete isrestrained within the enclosed internal space during curing by the firstfoil bag and the structural elements.
 6. The wall structure as claimedin claim 5, wherein the structural elements each include a plurality ofhorizontal rods connected to a plurality of vertical rods, thehorizontal rods and the vertical rods ordered in grid form.
 7. The wallstructure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one couplingelement is formed as a hook-like protrusion extending from at least oneend of the horizontal rods of the structural elements for engaging thehorizontal rods and the vertical rods of the adjacent structuralelement.
 8. The wall structure as claimed in claim 5, further includinga second foil bag positioned within the enclosed internal space boundedby the first foil bag and defining a cavity, the cavity filled with afiller material.
 9. The wall structure as claimed in claim 8, whereinthe filler material is concrete.
 10. The wall structure as claimed inclaim 8, wherein the filler material is waste material.
 11. The wallstructure as claimed in claim 5, further including an outer layer ofshotcrete plaster.
 12. The wall structure as claimed in claim 5, furtherincluding a sound-absorbing outer layer such that the wall structure isa noise protection wall.
 13. The wall structure as claimed in claim 12,further including windows provided in the wall structure.
 14. The wallstructure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first foil bag and thesecond foil bag are made of plastic.
 15. The wall structure as claimedin claim 5, wherein the structural elements, the at least one couplingelement, the at least one elongate element and the at least one spacerelement are made of a material selected from the group consisting ofsteel, concrete, glass fiber and fiber reinforced polymers.
 16. The wallstructure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first spatial structure andthe second spatial structure are joined to a foundation slab ofconcrete.
 17. A wall structure, comprising:a) a first spatial structure;b) a second spatial structure spaced apart from the first spatialstructure, the first spatial structure and the second spatial structuredefining an internal space therebetween, the first spatial structure andthe second spatial structure each including:a plurality of structuralelements each having a plurality of horizontal rods connected to aplurality of vertical rods, the horizontal rods and the vertical rodsordered in grid form; at least one coupling element, the structuralelements each mutually coupled to an adjacent structural element withthe at least one coupling element, the at least one coupling elementregistered in interlaced relation between the adjacent structuralelements; and at least one elongate element co-acting with the at leastone coupling element such that the adjacent structural elements aremutually coupled together; c) at least one spacer element connecting thefirst spatial structure to the second spatial structure such that thefirst spatial structure and the second spatial structure are held afixed distance apart; d) a first plastic foil bag positioned in theinternal space and conforming to the structural elements of the firstspatial structure and the second spatial structure to define an enclosedinternal space in the wall structure; and e) an outer layer of plasteron the first spatial structure and the second spatial structure, whereinconcrete is located in the enclosed internal space, and the concrete isrestrained within the enclosed internal space during curing by the firstplastic foil bag and the structural elements.
 18. The wall structure asclaimed in claim 17, further including a second plastic foil bagpositioned within the enclosed internal space bounded by the firstplastic foil bag and defining a cavity within the wall structure, thecavity filled with a filler material.
 19. The wall structure as claimedin claim 17, wherein the outer layer of plaster is sound-absorbing suchthat the wall structure is a noise protection wall.
 20. The wallstructure as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first spatial structureand the second spatial structure are joined to a foundation slab ofconcrete.